The Labor enquirer., 1887-05-21
The Young Son Of John Lennon
Goes 10 The Lock up
Saturday.
He DISTRIBUTED DODGERS.
Details or the Affair Which Was En-.
tirely Suppressed by the
Satanic Dallies.

On Saturday of last week, while little
Johnny Lennon, son Of j. b. Lennon, was
engaged in advertising the mass meeting
of The Trades Assembly, which was held
on Sunday last at Music Hall, by mailing
handbills In punches TO the telegraph
poles on 18th street, n policeman arrested
him. called the patrol wagon and took him
to the lookup. A reporter of the En-
oumER was soon informed of the occur
renee and hastened to inform the father
of the boy of what had happened. The
father and reporter went to the Office Of
Mayor Lee to- inquire concerning the ma
ture of the offense. Mayor Lee was found
at his office and the following dialogue
ensued;
Father-I called to find out the cause of
my boys arrest.
llayor-He was arrested for violating
tho ordinance forbidding the throwing of
papers into the streets or cutters.
Fathor-But he did not throw the paper
into the streets ; he was mailing them to
thd telegraph poles.
Maypr-Yes, but you know when that is
allowed TO be done, and the telegraph
nun comes along, he grabs the whole
bunch and yanks them down and throws
them into the street or gutter. The con-
sequence is they blow about the street
friRhten horses, causing runaways, and
otherwise render our streets unsightly.
We must stop such work. Eastern cities
have done 80, and we must.
Reporter-But, Mayor, do you consider
IL fair to punish this boy for what tele-
grhph man is liable to do The ordi-
nance does not forbid mailing bills to the
telegraph poles; IL simply prohibits
throwing them into the streets or cutters.
Mayor (somcwhat puzzled)-well, l
think you gentlemen will agree with me
thht II Is desirable to keep our streets as
frbe from waste papers rs possibles
Rcporter-We will agree with you in
anything that is right, wherein you do not
Discriminate against one class and in ia
yor of another, and providing you do not
propose to punish one party for an Of
fense that another man is liable to com
nit.
Mayor (cvidcntly for the first time com.
pretending the nature of the case)-I will
see TO IL that the case is dismissed. You
necd not appear to defend your boy, Mr.
Lennon.
Exit Mr. Lennon and reporter.
This case is sample of the justice dis
Iieuscd ut the criminal mill over which
Mayor Lee presidcs. A hoy not over fif-
tperyeurs old is violently siezed and drag
ged 10 Jail without the least sign of vio-
lhtion of law on his part.
There ARE some othet things, which are
d part Of the history of the past, which,
taken in connection with the arrest of
Johnny Lennon, are very significant
About one year ago man by the name of
J. :, Anderson was arrested while distrib-
hting bills for District Assembly 80, X. Of
ln and was by Judge Barnum fined $50.
Since that time not man has been fined
in the police court for the same oGense;
vet our streets have been strewn with
them, and the telegraph poles have con
stautly bristled with dodgers of all kinds.
Why have not Others been treated the same
as those who distributed bills for the
workingmcn. II the ordinance under
which Johnny Lennon was pulled and taken
to the lookup, and Anderson was fined
thirty-tve dollars, was passed for working
men alone II Is time that the workingmen
know IL, and act accordingly. The powers
that be will do well TO act impartially.
There are eyes that see and ears that
hear. and the ENQUIRER has the reputation
of speaking out boldly on all questions.
II will not spare public servants II justice
demand that II speak.